Indiana Beach Drive Times

I live in Park Ridge, a suburb of Chicago, near O'hare airport. How long do you guys think that it would take to get to Indiana Beach by car (roughly)? MapQuest and Yahoo Driving Directions say 2 hours and forty-five minutes, but I think that it is a little on the high side. We are hoping to arrive in about 2 hours. A reply would be appreciated!

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I love Deja Valley, and Stunt Stall too! The names are so "fitting".

*** This post was edited by Ben G. on 8/23/2002. ***

My husband and I drove from downtown Chicago to Indiana Beach in early August and it took us around 2 hours or so. It was a really easy drive.

Definitely dont believe the drive times that Mapquest says. If it says 2 hrs 45 minutes, than you should be able to get there in 1 hr and 45 minutes.

Based on my experiences using Mapquest, the drive time is reduced by roughly an hour.

Also remember that you will be losing an hour from Chicago to Monticello so plan that in your start time accordingly.

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Ric Flair was hitting on the female host, he told her - "Space Mountain may be the oldest ride in the park, but it has the longest line." WOOOOO!

*** This post was edited by Chitown on 8/23/2002. ***

I'm in the south burbs, about 40 minutes from O'Hare, and it takes us about 1 hr, 20 min to get to IB. Two hours should do it.

Thanks Guys! I'll be going monday afternoon. I'll post a Trip report on Tuesday, after my first day of school...no more SFGAm day trips.

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I love Deja Valley. And Stunt Stall too!

Keep in mind, Ben G, that the park does close at 7 p.m. Monday. There will be few people in the park.

Have fun!

You will love the place.....ride Cornball (and the awesome dark ride) a couple extra times for me....I'll be back there next year for the "complete" Lost Coaster.....Carol, if you're reading this that's a promise.....please make sure Tig'rr if the same next year since it was closed on our day.....what a park....:)

but as far as drive times, the roads are...."meandering" coming in....and it seems you "yankees" are doing road construction all summer.....for cryin' out loud, it's too hot to be doing road work then, do what we do and wait 'til the cooler weather.....;)

We drove from Racine, Wisconsin, wich is like half an hour from the Illinois border, to Indiana Beach in just under three hours!

Actually, Chitown, that part of Indiana doesn't subscribe to the whole "Spring forward, Fall back" for changing times like most of the US. Right now, the time in Monticello is the same as it is in Chicago...go figure...

But back to the drive time issue with Mapquest/Mapblast. It took me 2.5h (from Elgin) to get there. It all has to do with how much you speed...it you drive the speed limit, it'll be accurate...as soon as lead-foot-itis strikes, that is when your actual drive time decreases (go figure). I usually end up cutting about 10% off my drive times after gas/foor/bathroom breaks...

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Le roi est mort. Vive le roi.
Thanks Great America!

Hehehhe, funny you should mention that redman. I found that out when I got to IB this last Saturday.

We ended up having to wait an hour and half to get the second ride session wristbands.

2 hours and 15 mins to get there, 2 hours 30 mins to get back(From Elgin also).

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""To be the man, WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!, You got to beat the man""!!!

RollrCoastr00 said:
We drove from Racine, Wisconsin, wich is like half an hour from the Illinois border, to Indiana Beach in just under three hours!

You must have caught Chicago at like 3am because everytime I tool through Chicago it takes a minimum of 2 hours to get from the Wisconsin/Illinois border to the Illinois/Indiana border taking the Tollway/Edens/Kennedy/Ryan/Skyway route.

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Bob Hansen

A proud CoasterBuzz Member

Operation Wicked Twister - Goal: Lose 50 lbs by next season to ride it! (updates soon)

If you're going to take the skyway, you might as well just take the Kennedy over to LSD and catch the Skyway on 79th and Stoney Island..that is if you are not afraid of being in "da hood" :) But I would never ever evereverevereverever take the skyway. Cost too much and aint much faster. Give me 57S to 80/90 anyday. But thats coming from someone who grew up on the south side (near 68th and stoney Island..still da hood)

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"To get into this head of mine, would take a monkey-wrench, and a lot of wine" Res How I Do

Hey jeremy, south side in the house! I grew up in Hegewisch...1-2-7 South. Pass by your old homestead often driving to work (Bishop Ford to 103rd and Stony, up to 63rd over to LSD) But I gotta disagree...stick to the Skyway. Two bucks and smooth sailing all the way to 65.

Kennedy/Ryan/Skyway/Indiana Tollroad/65/24 - Boo-ya!

Caution....avoid east-bound 80/94 at all costs. Traffic is miserable. I live right off the Bishop Ford (the Ryan south of 95th) and 294 (about 170th) and it's actually quicker for me to drive up to 106th to catch the Indiana Tollroad. OK, it ends up being about the same amount of time but the drive is a lot more enjoyable without the 30 mph Borman crawl thru the annual NW IN construction season.

No doubt, Steve. The traffic from I-65 to the Illiana line and beyond has been just brutal this summer.

I tacked an extra 1 1/2 hours on a drive back from Indiana Beach this summer because I didn't use the Skyway. Ack!

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"The perfect machine, you seemed to be, when I built you up in my mind..." - Reverend Jon Autry

*** This post was edited by chris on 8/26/2002. ***

I *guess* I'll defer to you because you live there now, but when I used to live out in Indiana (Kokomo to be exact) I'd always take the Calumet (now Bishop Ford) to and from 65. The *one* time I took the skyway, it added 45min onto my trip. No accidents, just traffic. But I'll agree that 80/94 can be a beast in the middle of the day!

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"To get into this head of mine, would take a monkey-wrench, and a lot of wine" Res How I Do